Happy Halloween

I am busy getting ready - hope to have some posts up later.

Until then - BOO!

Worst. Halloween. Costume. Evah.

I'm not even going to give space to the witch's picture.

Call friggin' Child Protective Services, will ya?

I H8 Harvest Festivals

This is my daughter's homemade costume (done by herself!), which she calls "Infernal Dragon," a devilish interpretation of her school's mascot.

My once-a-year pet peeve.

Dear Evangelical Christian or DumbAss Catholic:

It is Halloween, a corruption of the term Hallow's Eve, meaning the day before All Hallows or All Saints' Day. Allowing your child to attend a party called - appropriately - a Halloween party is not going to turn them into Devil worshippers. Honestly.

Yes, yes, I know, Halloween has its roots in the pagan celebration of Sanheim, but then, Christmas supplanted Saturnalia and yet you don't hold back on that, spending your money for the figurine of Santa kneeling reverantly by Baby Jesus in the manger. Oh, and that Christimas tree upon which you proudly display your Thomas Kincaid [Painter of Crap] ornaments? Druidic, babe.

So don't knock Halloween. You can keep down the gore, I do, too, but still have a fun time.

Oh, and if you're so freaked out about the holiday and saying we should have a Harvest Festival instead, why are you and your little b***ards showing up for candy at my door every October 31st?

Boo!

The Digital Hairshirt

P.S. - to any cool folks I know who like that Kincaid stuff . . . sorry. I mock the Wyland [Look, another whale tail] people as well.

Oh, and this, too:

Little Bo Peep would make the cut at the Halloween parade at Riverside Drive Elementary School here on Friday, but the staff she used to menace her sheep would probably have to go. Guns, daggers and other toy weapons have long been excisedfrom costumes at many school celebrations on Halloween.

No wonder the sheep ran away . . . the bitch was crazy!

Save Money. Die Better. Walmart.

I am all for consumer choice. As for me, I am hoping for a nice urn somewhere . . .

Obscure Music Friday

Song: Don't Fear the Reaper

Artist: Blue Oyster Cult

Why I Picked This Song: It is not an an obscure song by any means, I believe, but it's Halloween. And as long as we are considering scary things, let me tell you that I cannot listen to this song and not recall how it was used in the opening of Stephen King's miniseries, The Stand. And that scared the beejzus out of me. So if you want to avoid the stuff of nightmares, don't watch this video.

Ghosts don't bother me. Monsters I can handle. I know demons. But the idea of a biological strain of virus wiping out most of the population and being left alive to deal with the complete collapse of civilization in the post-apocalyptic terrain? Brrrrrrrr . . .

Okay, No, This is the Best. Halloween. Costume. Evah.

See more super cute baby costumes here.

Aw Geez, PETA Is Gonna Be So Mad!

A company at a German trade show has attached tiny banner advertisements to flies and set them loose on unsuspecting visitors, in a bizarre yet effective marketing stunt.

*SWAT!*

Look to the Skies

Now I know the End Times are upon us . . .

The gossip apocalypse has arrived: Jon Gosselin and Nadya Suleman will be going on a date.

The "Jon & Kate Plus 8" star has reportedly agreed to appear in a cheesy new reality show in which he'll date Octomom Nadya Suleman, "Cheaters" producer Bobby Goldstein told In Touch Weekly.

"I heard that Nadya has an insatiable desire to spend time with Jon and to put their families together," Goldstein said. "And I had the idea that this could be a very entertaining fiasco."

Though reps for both parties deny that any show is in the works, Goldstein says he will produce the pilot, called "Jon – Kate = Jon + Octomom," with a former producer of "The Jerry Springer Show."

In a word . . . oh, so many come to mind. But this really is very, very sad.

Death for the Sake of Youth

NEOCUTIS technology platform relies on the use of cultured fetal skin cells obtained from a cell bank for treating differing skin conditions.

The dedicated cell bank was originally established for wound healing and burn treatments using a single biopsy of donated fetal skin following a one-time medical termination.

Having developed a topical preparation for different skin conditions, the use of this preparation for daily skin care became apparent. Today this same cell bank also provides a lasting supply of cells for producing Neocutis’ proprietary skin care ingredient Processed Skin Cell Proteins (PSP®).

NEOCUTIS Bio-restorative Skin Cream, JOURNÉE Bio-restorative Day Cream, LUMIÈRE Bio-restorative Eye Cream and BIO-GEL Bio-restorative Hydrogel are the only products to contain PSP®.

Hmmm . . . killing a preborn child for the sake of an anti-aging skin cream.

In Greek mythology, Cronus was King of the Titans. He was paranoid that his children would grow to usurp his power and stature - since he had, in fact, castrated and overthrew his own father - and so as each was born he ate them to ensure he had no rivals.

Think about that as you also think about Neocutis' products being absorbed by a user's skin.

Photo Op

Wow - o'dark-thirty and press photographers just happened to be there . . .

Standing in the pre-dawn darkness, President Barack Obama saw the real cost of the war in Afghanistan: The Americans who return in flag-covered cases while much of the nation sleeps in peace.

In a midnight dash to this Delaware base, where U.S. forces killed overseas come home, Obama honored the return of 18 fallen Americans Thursday. All were killed this week in Afghanistan, a brutal stretch that turned October into the most deadly month for U.S. troops since the war began.

The dramatic image of Obama on the tarmac was a portrait not witnessed in years. Former President George W. Bush spent lots of time with grieving military families but never went to Dover to greet the remains coming off the cargo plane. Obama did so with the weight of knowing he may soon send more troops off to war.

Yeah, that uncaring George Bush, who personally wrote a letter to the family of each soldier lost. Did it ever occur to the journalist that President Bush might have gone to Dover, except he did so privately out of respect for the privacy of the families, without inviting the press to turn it into a photo op for himself.

"He may send more troops off to war? Count on it - it's pictures like this that Obama will use to support his contention that he does so with a "heavy heart and appreciation for the potential loss we could incur."

I May Have to Kick Luann's Butt

I know, I know! It's a comic strip and I should not give it so much importance. But I read it and a recent plot line annoys me.

First there was the whole "get-on-board-with-Obama's-call-to-service" and the character of Delta having a "direct line" to Obama on her cell phone (you know, because no other character can, because Delta is Black, and that particular plot line made the token Black character seem like some planted spy).

Now I see where they're going today - remove the candy from Halloween and replace with used books. Because Bernice - the smart girl character who isn't ga-ga over the boys like Luann, which I predict will come out of the closet some time soon - is railing about trick-or-treat, and treating us to an unfound statement that a Tootsie pop automatically leads to "hyper, obese, bad-teeth children."

Oh, give me a break! Halloween is fun because of the free candy and you know what, you can give away both if you wanted. I understand that the creator of Luann, Greg Evans, lives in San Diego - don't ring his doorbell, kids, you'll only be disappointed.

Now if he could just go back to the Brad/Toni storyline to see if they advance in their relationship, and maybe kill off Luann's father. Hell, losing Farley the Old-English Sheepdog did the trick for For Better or For Worse.

Dinnertime, Kids!

It's almost Halloween and here is a new take on an old favorite . . . meatloaf.

Since August I've had a post it note over my desk that simply said "meat hand". I mulled over how to make it for a while. I realized that the old formed inside a plastic glove thing wouldn't work since the fingers would cook so much faster than the rest of the hand.

Okay, I am not so proud of this, but I have made gruesome gingerbread men out of meatloaf to serve my family. Dad laughed anyway . . .

But I thought this was clever and I have to show this to my daughter.

Naughty Nephites

Mormon mommas as hawt pin-up girls?

From the creators of the popular Men on a Mission calendar comes this hot addition fresh from the oven: Hot Mormon Muffins: A Taste of Motherhood. Not only are they delicious, the debut 2010 edition features twelve beautiful Mormon mothers posing in kitschy vintage pin-up style.

Myeh - I bet we could do better with Fadduh Whaddawaste 2010 calendars.

Now Fr. Erik's gonna yell at me . . .

Though "We Built This City (On Rock-n-Roll)" Is Still Bad

The first lines are: “Imagine there’s no heaven/it’s easy if you try.” No, it isn’t, because if there’s no heaven then there’s no hell, and we know that there’s a hell because when this song is playing we’re in it.

For everyone who hates the song "Imagine," this is one of the best criticisms I have read. Yeah, yeah, it's not nice to kick a guy when he's dead, but truly this song is bilge.

Daily Affirmations from Iron Mike

Tired of bland motivational posters for your office?

Then you need to check out these posters featuring the philosophical musings of Mike Tyson.

He ain't no Gandhi, I tell you what.

Meta Message from the Governor

My advice to my clients has always been, never put anything in writing that you wouldn't want the judge or your Momma to read.

Like a find-the-word puzzle, the second message was visible by stringing together the first letter of each line down the left-hand margin. It consisted of a common four-letter vulgarity followed by the letters "y-o-u."

"My goodness. What a coincidence," said Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear.

I better start looking at my office correspondence more carefully.

Best. Halloween. Costume. Evah.

Why the New York Post Ain't Got No Circulation Problems

"Philly fans are a bunch of whiners and should learn how to dress. They should try reading GQ."

Living up to their second-class billing going into the start of the Fall Classic tomorrow, the Phils arrived in New York yesterday -- by train.

"I don't have hate for Philly exactly -- they are like our redheaded stepchild," he said.

Consider Philadel phia's most famous export -- other than Will Smith: overcooked minced-meat sand wiches doused in Cheez Whiz.

"Their most famous athlete is Rocky, and he's fictional," sneered Alex Rusu, 23, a building superintendent in Gramercy.

Trash-talkin' at its finest!

Oh! And one more:

And on April 25, 1978 -- the day the pear-shaped, Astroturf-skinned, megaphone-nosed Muppet reject made his first appearance -- Philadelphia lost its last ounce of respectability, Yankee fans said yesterday.

"Mr. Met is even better than that -- and Mr. Met is retarded," said Patrick O'Neill, 22, of The Bronx.

Not a Penn Statement

Penn State says it has received six complaints about the shirt, including one from the Anti-Defamation League's Philadelphia branch, from people who say it connotes a Christian cross. The logo design also has become the focus of controversy in the student newspaper, "The Daily Collegian," which has received several letters to the editor on both sides of the issue.

Mahon said the design was based on the single blue stripe on the football team's helmets and will not be pulled from store shelves as some have asked. "The shirts have sold out and no changes are planned," he said.

Stephanie Bennis, a senior at the school, said she created the shirt's design in March with fellow public relations major Emily Sabolsky, and in no way did they intend to create religious overtones. Like Mahon, she said the single blue stripe is a nod to the university's football program.

"That was the entire idea," she said. "And all we thought was normally wording goes right across the chest. That's truly the reason why we did it."

Bennis said she was "very shocked" when she learned the university had received complaints about the design.

"It's just sad to see that in this day and age, the most offensive thing on a shirt can be what people see as a religious symbol," she said.

Well, yeah, it does look like a cross. So what? In hoc signo vinces, Nittany Lions.

Otherwise, don't buy the shirt. See how easy that was?

Scientology Loses the Tour de France

A Paris court convicted the Church of Scientology of fraud and fined it more than euro600,000 ($900,000) on Tuesday but stopped short of banning the group as prosecutors had demanded.

The original complaint in the case dates back more than a decade, when a young woman said she took out loans and spent the equivalent of euro21,000 on books, courses and "purification packages" after being recruited in 1998. When she sought reimbursement and to leave the group, its leadership refused. She was among three eventual plaintiffs.

She is lucky - she left with her life. Others have not been as fortunate.

I am sure some Scientologist would say, "Well, y'all better pay attention to this, because who's to say that they won't come after your religion next?!" My religion knows persecution, sweetheart, and it is a testament to the power of the Holy Spirit that we are still here after 2,000 years and growing.

And . . . you're not a religion. Scientology is nothing more than the combination of delusion and a Ponzi scheme.

Bring Out Your Dead

Or, at least send your pictures of your deceased loved ones to be honored at my 5th annual Day of the Dead celebration, on Sunday, November 1st.

If you sent me a picture from previous years and would like that person honored again, just let me know.

Protest Fail

American flag - $19.99
Gasoline - $2.50
Cigarette lighter - $1.29

Setting yourself on fire because you're an idiot - priceless.

Fashion

This is from L.A.'s Fashion Week, from the Skingraft Soring/Summer collection.

I dunno. I might buy it if it were a puffin instead of a quail. The quail just seems overdone, don't you agree?

Thank You, Boys!

Start spreading the news . . .

We wanted pie and you gave us some, a la mode, uptown.

Save Halloween for the Kids

Sorry, kids. The adults have taken over Halloween.

When I was a child, Halloween was a holiday for children. We would save our pennies to buy cheap costumes at the local five-and-dime or, mostly, make our own. Adults had the job of buying candy or wrapping a couple of nickels in tin foil, and being there to open the door when we would yell, “Trick or treat!” at the top of our little lungs. Most adults were happy to see us and compliment us on our costumes. There was the year my baby brother used his All Saints Day pageant costume for Halloween, and his St. Francis of Assisi get-up – complete with the fake parakeet on his finger that he stole from my own pet’s cage – earned him extra candies from the swooning Irish housewives of the neighborhood, who were enthralled by “such a grand saint.”

I have some neighbors, across the street, who typically decorate their home for Halloween. And then, during the day on Halloween, they take down their decorations and go out that evening, leaving a darkened house that just screams, “No candy for you!” at the little urchins who come by.

What the hell, indeed.

It seems to me that Halloween is becoming more of an adult holiday than one for children.

First, in a trend starting with Christian (but not Catholic) schools, more school districts in an effort to keep church and state separate have “harvest festivals” rather than call them Halloween. So the holiday is reduced to a class party, and even then with veggie and fruit snacks, since little Octavius has that peanut allergy and too much processed sugar can result in false positive test results for ADHD.

Then, go to places like Party City where most kids locally buy their costumes. The majority falls into one of two categories: (a) sexy or (b) gory. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate little boys’ love of all things bloody and scary – there is nothing like a good axe embedded in the cranium to lighten up a dull outfit. But it seems to me that the costumes are designed by adults with themselves in mind – how else can you explain a toddler size pimp costume? Adults seem to lose track of what is age appropriate and instead compliment themselves on how “edgy” their kids are.

I think that is the problem – the adults are not willing to be adults and abdicate the fun of Halloween to the kids. They want to prolong their own childhoods as long as possible, and amuse their friends with how far they can push the envelope with their costuming. Bars and pubs look forward to the business they get by promoting a costume party and this year – with Halloween falling on a Saturday night – you can be sure that business will be booming. After all, the kids had their party at school – don’t Mom and Dad deserve some fun?

So, what will I do on Halloween night? I am happy to say that the kids still come and I will be there waiting for them, with massive amounts of candy. I don’t even mind giving candy to their accompanying parents, who often dress up as well, because they are taking the time to slog through the streets with their darlings. And I will tell the children how great they look and compliment them on their costumes and take pictures. And wish everyone a Happy Halloween and a Feliz Dia de los Muertos!

Nun of the Above

Nuns were second-class citizens then and — 40 years after feminism utterly changed America — they still are. The matter of women as priests is closed, a forbidden topic.

The problem I see with most liberals is that they wish to have their utopian ideal of a "democracy" instilled in every institution or social structure, even when such structures are private and voluntary. Hence, the statement that nuns are "second-class citizens" in the Catholic Church, an institution long identified with a hierarchial structure and populated by people whose participation is, presumably, a statement of their free will.

There are those who warn, "Well, the Church must 'modernize' else they could 'lose people.'" Perhaps some of those "lost" people would bring absolutely no value to the Church, especially if by "modernizing" they mean to embrace any and all liberal causes, to include a professed Bride of Christ escorting women into an abortion mill.

When will people like Maureen Dowd understand that the Church is not here to win a popularity contest but to advance the work of Christ? Many of these so-called feminist nuns are living their own agendas and are angry that the Church will not reconcile Herself to them.

Disconnect? Consider this from TIME magazine:

Sister Agnes Mansour supervises Medicaid abortions.

Obedient to the teachings of her church, Sister Agnes Mary Mansour believes abortion is sinful. She also recognizes that others disagree, and feels that poor women are entitled to have publicly funded abortions so long as they are legal.

Well, no, Sister, you are not obedient to the teachings of the Church. Prostitution is sinful, but would you encourage a woman who has not had any luck in her search for gainful employment to start turning tricks for johns on the next corner?

"Oh, but think of the women!" I am thinking of them and wondering how anyone could argue that temporal convenience is worth more than eternal salvation. Sometimes we will suffer and have to sacrifice during our lifetimes. The good news is that given our lifetimes are finite, it's only a temporary setback, whatever it is.

True Grit

We lurve der Richtsteig!

I hate milquetoast priests. That is why it is important to recognize one for not being one.

Judge Memorial Catholic High's drama department raised the curtain Thursday night on the rock musical "Rent" despite criticism from some Utah Catholics and a priest offended by the play's gay characters.

The Rev. Erik Richtsteig, pastor of St. James the Just Catholic Church in Ogden, criticized the play on his blog this week, calling it "morally destructive and offensive."

I have had the very distinct pleasure of sharing a meal with Fr. Erik and I respect him highly. Mind you, I do not know if I agree with him on this because I have never seen "Rent" and never wanted to, figuring it is about a bunch of squatters in the East Village bitching over the lack of affordable housing in New York City. Damn, then why not turn one woman's saga with a UTI into a musical?

But for the person who would say, "Well, who is he to think he can call it that," I say: (a) a member of the clergy of the Catholic Church and (b) an American citizen entitled to his opinion. If you haven't any respect for his authority as a priest - and he also has the obligation to bring to the attention of his flock what he thinks could lead them to sin - then you shouldn't be upset by his comments.

I do question whether "Rent" is appropriate for the high school crowd, even watered down. For those who think it is a good thing for the children to be "exposed" to this "reality," then why not let them stage "Equus?" See, just because something was "on Broadway" does not make it family fare.

Speak on, Fr. Erik! I just hope this does not land you a bunk at Camp Snoopy.

Oh, by the way, this is what Fr. Erik said at his blog. I know - it's such a tirade!

Vow of Spiritual Poverty

These are my kids, spending some time with Mom this morning.

I saw this over at Joe's blog and - having just recently arrived home from a prayer vigil outside of Planned Parenthood - am simply floored at what passes for a Catholic nun these days.

A Dominican nun has been seen frequenting an abortion facility in Illinois recently - but not, as one might expect, to pray for an end to abortion or to counsel women seeking abortions, but to volunteer as a clinic escort.

Local pro-life activists say that they recognized the escort at the ACU Health Center as Sr. Donna Quinn, a nun outspokenly in favor of legalized abortion, after seeing her photo in a Chicago Tribune article.

Sister, give it up. Your viewpoint has become inconsistent with your actions and if you don;t want to be riding that bus anymore, get the hell off.

Because the 1st Amendment is Not an "Amendment-Amendment"

President Obama is fighting back against FOX. The White House communications director said FOX is a "wing of the Republican Party...let's not pretend they're a news network."

To draw attention to its biased coverage, President Obama will not appear on FOX for the rest of this year. Can you sign this petition asking Democrats to support President Obama's stance by staying off FOX as long as he does?

A compiled petition with your individual comment will be presented to Democratic senators and representatives.

All animals are equal but some are more equal than others.

What are they afraid of?

Jukebox From Hell

A number of high-profile musicians -- including members of Pearl Jam, R.E.M. and the Roots -- pressed the government Thursday to name the songs it blasted at the Guantanamo detainee center to coerce or punish prisoners held there, the Washington Post reported Thursday.

Are they outraged or embarrassed? Because I am not sure if I would wnat to be known as a musician so bad that my work can be used to coerce interrogations.

Please, please, no more "We Built This City (On Rock-n-Roll)" in the name of Allah, I beg you to stop!

Um . . . "the Roots?"

Obscure Music Friday

Song: New York Groove

Artist: Ace Frehley of KISS

Why I Chose This Song: Because Ace from KISS came out of the Bronx and it's time to kick the Angels' respective arses in that same place tomorrow night. LET'S GO, YANKEES!

New Age Evil

Dr. Bunn said Mr. Ray told the more than 50 people jammed into the small structure — people who had just completed a 36-hour “vision quest” in which they fasted alone in the desert — that vomiting “was good for you, that you are purging what your body doesn’t want, what it doesn’t need.” But by the end of the ordeal on Oct. 8, emergency crews had taken 21 people to hospitals. Three have since died.

Give me some of that old-time religion . . . mine, specifically. Sure, St. Joseph does not have air conditioning and it gets hotter than hell in the summer, but we're not dying, man . . .

Do you know what keeps people like Mr. Ray in the money? People who have lost their way and think some New Age karmic fix is gonna cure all of their woes. That's why I hate things like "psychic hotlines" - it's more than money it takes from people. It takes from them hope and hopelessness is the constant factor in things like suicide and depression. If only it were just a financial scam.

She also described a game — enacted again at the retreat this month — in which Mr. Ray wears white robes and plays God, ordering some participants to commit mock suicide.

The Devil knows where to hide, and he was there in Sedona.

Gotta Blackball the Vote

Voters in this small city decided overwhelmingly last year to do away with the party affiliation of candidates in local elections, but the Obama administration recently overruled the electorate and decided that equal rights for black voters cannot be achieved without the Democratic Party.

The Justice Department's ruling, which affects races for City Council and mayor, went so far as to say partisan elections are needed so that black voters can elect their "candidates of choice" - identified by the department as those who are Democrats and almost exclusively black.

The department ruled that white voters in Kinston will vote for blacks only if they are Democrats and that therefore the city cannot get rid of party affiliations for local elections because that would violate black voters' right to elect the candidates they want.

Sure, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, man, this is so outrageous that it must be satire from The Onion, right?

No, this is indeed fact. If I follow the logic of the the DOJ - and I am having problems with finding any authority for Holder & Co. to overturn a local community's decision arrived at through the democratic process - Blacks only vote for Blacks who are Democrats and a White man won't vote for a Black man unless he is a Democrat, and merit does not count, just party affiliation and race.

Oh, and we are war with Eurasia. We have always been at war with Eurasia. Eastasia is our ally.

Thank You, Lord

They call him the Mexican Brad Pitt. But unlike his American counterpart, who famously rejected a Southern Baptist upbringing, Eduardo Verastegui chose to sacrifice a glittering film career after rediscovering his Catholic faith.

Today, the 35-year-old actor is a daily Mass-goer, committed to abstaining from sex before marriage, who flies to Darfur to help the starving, provides financial help for women considering abortions and organises house-building missions in Mexico.

For four years, he renounced all roles that conflicted with his Catholic and his Latino values, eventually co-founding with two associates Metanoia films. Bella, Metanoia's first film, which stars Verastegui and is the story of an out-of-work waitress pondering an abortion won the People’s Choice prize at the 2007 Toronto film festival.

Ai-eeeee!

I think I found a man for The Crescat.

Dress Up

I dun gettit.

People are up in arms about pilitically incorrect Halloween costumes, like the one above, and the Illegal Alien, and Anna Rexia.

So why don't these same people get offended by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence?

Viva America! Viva Capitalism!

Ours is a great country, indeed!

Moneypenny Gets It At the End

How we concluded our parish fiesta on Sunday night. Yes, we love our pastor, Fr. John Moneypenny.

Let's Just Die, Then

I think this is too hyped up. And if I am wrong about that, what have I got to lose? The dead cannot be chagrined.

In the meanwhile, life as usual . . .

Exhausted

The fiesta at my church is over and frankly, I am beat. Tomorrow I go back to reality, but until then, I think I'll hit the hay and dream of wombats . . .

See ya.

Please Say a Prayer for Chris

One of God's chosen to serve has been called home. It doesn't matter if you didn't know him. He was willing to stand and protect you and the rest of us. Anytime a service member dies in the course of action - and the same with peace officers and fire fighters - we owe a debt. Pay some of it with a prayer today.

Philandering Phranciscan

With three small children and her marriage in trouble, Pat Bond attended a spirituality retreat for Roman Catholic women in Illinois 26 years ago in hopes of finding support and comfort.

What Ms. Bond found was a priest — a dynamic, handsome Franciscan friar in a brown robe — who was serving as the spiritual director for the retreat and agreed to begin counseling her on her marriage. One day, she said, as she was leaving the priest’s parlor, he pulled her aside for a passionate kiss.

Okey-dokey, you know what happens after that. Yes, the gay divorcee and the priest begin a love affair that results in a pregnancy. Not just one, but two - with the first, he suggested she have an abortion, but she miscarried, they resolved to remain platonic in their relationship, and . . .

But a few months later, during an Easter-season retreat they had planned together for about 90 women, Father Willenborg showed up at her door. Ms. Bond said she was sure that Nathan was conceived that night.

Nice. Of course, Mama takes no blame.

“Here I am this small-town girl, and at the time I didn’t feel that I was very attractive,” she said, “and yet he’s putting his vows on the side and he wants to be with me, in the most intimate, loving way. It was quite an honor.”

“It’s such a powerful thing because you think — and this is the illness of it, too — you are led to believe and you let yourself believe, that you are a chosen one. That you are so special,” she said, adding of the priest, “It’s not that they’re putting God aside, it’s that they’re bringing you up to their level.”

Okay, so she excuses herself because it's an illnessssssssssss after all. And he's an absolute dick, who needs a size 12 steel-toe brought firmly to the sack.

An unexpected turn of events brought their idyll to an end. A young woman showed up at Ms. Bond’s house in a rage. She told Ms. Bond that she had been in a sexual relationship with Father Willenborg for years, since she was in high school. (Reached by phone last week, the woman confirmed the relationship, and said it had caused her a lifetime of pain. She asked to remain anonymous.) Immediately, the Franciscans sent Father Willenborg to a treatment center in New Mexico run by a religious order, for priests with sexual disorders and substance addictions.

Ms. Bond says that after that, they had sex together only once more: immediately after he returned from seven months at the center. She still has the receipt from the hotel room.

What sexual disorder? The guy's a horn dog, that's what's wrong.

And now their son is ill with cancer and she is upset because the Franciscans won't foot the bill for his treatment.

Here is what needs to be done, in my never-to-be-humble opinion. When a priest breaks his vows and it is discovered, I would give him a "pass" on his first offense. Yeah, someone might yell, "Defrock him!" but you know, look at someone like Thomas Merton who had an affair and returned to his life as a Trappist celibate priest. However, he is removed from parish ministry and placed in work that keeps him around other priests, until there is some comfort that the trnasgression won't occur again. Second time - mmmm, bye-bye.

Oh, and if first time results in a child - mmmm, bye-bye. Kid needs a dad and Father, time to go get a job and support that consequence of your passion. And Mom, think about it - you chased after a married man. I found this woman's "I-am-innocent-and-holy" attitude extremely annoying because she was not some naif of tender years, but a woman who had been married and already had three kids. Did she still think the stork brought them? Oh wait, don't tell me she embraced Humanae Vitae and did not use contraceptives, but was okay with screwing a priest.

Either way, this kids got dealt a bad hand in life, for winding up with two parents like that. Pray for Nathan.

Oh, and let's have respect for priests . . . but not idol worship, m'kay? I can think of one priest in the Diocese of Orange who is soooooooooo well-liked, and soooooooooo handsome, and everytime I see him, all I can think of is, "Predator!" No, not with kids, but definitely with young and impressionable adults, you know, like college students.

Artistic License Suspended

Shepard Fairey, a Los Angeles-based street artist with a long, often proud history of breaking rules, said in a statement Friday that he was wrong about which photo he used and that he tried to hide his error. It was not immediately clear whether he would drop his lawsuit against the AP over the use of the photo.

Attorneys for Fairey have withdrawn and, in papers filed Friday in federal court in Manhattan, stated that he misled them. They also amended the original court documents, reflecting that Fairey used a different picture.

''Mr. Fairey was apparently mistaken about the photograph he used when his original complaint for declaratory relief was filed on February 9, 2009,'' the papers say. ''After the original complaint was filed, Mr. Fairey realized his mistake. Instead of acknowledging that mistake, Mr. Fairey attempted to delete the electronic files he had used in creating the illustration at issue. He also created, and delivered to his counsel for production, new documents to make it appear as though he had used the Clooney photograph as his reference.''

Since court pleadings are submitted under epnalty of perjury, I hope they prosecute him.

Evidently, artists in the Obama era of art can't seem to find original ideas. But it's okay, because he is a "street artist." Right. Just like a tagger.

Dumb Ass

Last night during the St. Joseph fiesta, a man broke into the church, I guess expecting that everyone would be busy at the fiesta and that there would be scads of money and gold-plated items left strewn about a Catholic church. Or maybe he just wanted to rip off the poor box. In any event, he jumped into the rectory backyard and came in through a window in the sacristy. What he didn't know was that there were two workers cleaning the church, who surprised him.

The perp ran out the front door and . . . came over to the fiesta. Why? Drown his sorrows in a beer and have a few tacos? He was quickly identified and arrested on the spot, led out in handcuffs before the crowd. Well, sure - our workers chased him out and saw him run the block and into the schoolyard where we were having the fiesta. Maybe he thought he could "blend in" and no one would notice him in his bright, white striped polo shirt that allowed our worker to ID him without a problem.

Not the swiftest of horses in the race.

Would You be, Oh Would You Be, Oh Would You Be My Neighbor?

A 75-year-old dead man sat decomposing on his Marina del Rey balcony for days because neighbors thought the body was part of a Halloween display and didn’t call police.

Mostafa Mahmoud Zayed had apparently been dead since Monday with a single gunshot wound to one eye. He was slumped over a chair on the third-floor balcony of his apartment on Bora Bora Way, said cameraman Austin Raishbrook, who owns RMG News and was on scene Thursday when authorities found the body.

Neighbors on the 13900 block of Bora Bora Way told Raishbrook that they noticed the body Monday “but didn’t bother calling authorities because it looked like a Halloween dummy," he said.

"The body was in plain view of the entire apartment complex [and] they all didn’t do
anything,” Raishbrook said. “It’s very strange. It did look unreal, to be honest.”

How much do you want to bet, that as soon as the news broke, someone parked in his spot in the complex garage? Look, parking is hard to come by in this city, which is bounded on all four sides by Los Angeles. You know, they assign maybe two spots for every apartment, but since rents are high, you might have a guy staying with his buddy and his girlfriend, and she's got to get to work early, 'cause she works as a secretary in Orange County, so one of the guys has to park on the street. Now, that's a hassle, especially on the weekend when he gives up a good spot to head over to the fitness club and pick up his dry cleaning. And besides, it's not like the old guy is using it anyway. What was his name again? I don't remember him decorating last year for Halloween, since, like, his apartment balcony is on the third floor where it doesn't make much sense to put a display . . .

Oh Well

If you scan the Internet or believe the marketing campaign behind the movie "2012," scheduled for release in November, you might be forgiven for thinking so. Dozens of books and fake science websites are prophesying the arrival of doomsday that year, by means of a rogue planet colliding with the Earth or some other cataclysmic event.

"The world will not come to an end on Dec. 21, 2012," E.C. Krupp, director of Los Angeles' Griffith Observatory, declared in a statement released Thursday by the observatory and Sky & Telescope magazine. Krupp debunks the 2012 doomsday idea in the cover story of the magazine's November issue.

Well, what if it did? Or maybe it will be tomorrow. In any event, are you ready to meet your Maker? Will you say, "I've had no regrets," and be ready to go into that good night?

"The world will not come to an end on Dec. 21, 2012." It will for some. It could take that part of a cancer diagnosis or even a bride left jilted at the altar - for the person affected, they will think the world has come to an end. Some might even make it a self-fulfilling prophesy with an overdose of pills.

Am I bumming you out? Sorry, didn't mean to. I'm just feeling a little anxious and stressed right now, with a lot to think about and plan and arrange and do, probably most of which really is not that important. Sometimes it can be a great luxury to have a situation where - at least to you - something cataclysmic happens and you drop certain tasks because, after all, this other big thing is going on in your life, and you know that no one will fault you for dropping the ball, because you're already dealing with enough, and that can be liberating.

Obscure Music Friday

Song: Mexican Radio

Artist: Wall of Voodoo

Why I Chose This Song: Because it is fiesta time, ese!

Consider Coming By

Today I spent 12 hours at my kids' school, setting up for our annual fiesta. St. Joseph, as I have said before, is not a wealthy parish. Far from it. Most of our kids come from low-income families and consequently, many are being assisted with their tuition.

But they're good kids. Most will go on to high schools like Mater Dei and Servite, which are outstanding schools. And many will not, not because of lack of qualifications, but simply because their parents cannot afford it. But they will still succeed.

So if you are in the neighborhood of downtown Santa Ana, CA this weekend, consider dropping by St. Joseph School at 608 Civic Center Drive East - can't miss us, the parking lot across the street has got rides and carnies in it. And if you are unable to stay to enjoy some music, food, games, and rides, then bring any unwanted clothes or household items to our rummage sale. I am saddened by the smaller amount donated this year. I'll be in the parish hall - look for la guera running around in a red apron.

The Unkindest Cut

This is odd.

A "hedcut" in newspaper lingo is a shortened "headline cut." A "headline cut" is the stippled ink drawings in lieu of photographs that one typically sees in The Wall Street Journal.

On this artist's blog, Noli Novak, however, she is exposing the fact that her artwork - she draws hedcuts for the Journal - is being copied and enlarged, and placed onto canvas by an artist, Jose Maria Cano, claiming it is his own work.

Ms. Novak's work

Cano's work

I want to expose a bold case of plagiarism (?). It's big not just by the amount of used art, but by the amount of recognition, praise and ka-ching this artist seems to be getting! We are talking major art galleries around the world, museums and auction houses. (This is the FINE ART world we're talking about here, baby!)

And, what does he do?

He cuts out portraits from papers, blows them up and painstakingly recreates them in wax paraffin ... dot by dot. He's flying under the cover of "newspaper clipping" appropriation, but does that apply in this case? I say no way Jose!

What do you think? I say she's got a case. What's more appalling, is that Cano's portrait of Barack Obama was presented by Vaclav Havel to the President - with no recognition given to Ms. Novak.

Now That's a Dis

Cold, very cold.

Cougah!

Geez, Meredith, get a cold towel or sumthin'. But not on prime time TV . . . there are chil'ren watching, fer krissakes!

Looking for Love [In All the Wrong Places]

The app, released last Friday, purports to help men pick up any one of 24 types of women, such as the "sorority girl," "cougar," "rebound girl" or "punk rock girl." Users can choose the type of woman they have their eye on, then get coached on facts that might be useful, such as computing a carbon footprint to impress "the treehugger."

Suggested pick-up lines can be risqué. To pick up "the artist," the app recommends the following line: "You know the Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. I wonder what else she shaves."

First of all, no man would want me after delivering that last pick up line - because I think the spray of cocktail over the front of his shirt that had just been snorted from my nose because I was laughing so hard would be off-setting.

But oh, those illustrations are priceless - and yes, I have seen those ladies in the womens room at 1:30 am. That's why I find it funny to read, "Hundreds of people have criticized the app via Twitter, saying it contributes to the objectification of women." Really? You know, it would serve women more if ladies did not keep falling into stereotypes like this. And if you allow yourself to get hooked up with a guy who seems to have a preternatural affectation for his iPhone, sistah, as Eddie Murphy once said, "You b'ought tha' shit on yo'self."

"Mona Lisa" . . . *snort!*

We No Need No Stinkin' Marriage Certificates

We get them elsewhere, then come to your state.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill recognizing gay marriages sanctioned in other states during the nearly five months such unions were legal in California.

Schwarzenegger says the action is consistent with a state Supreme Court ruling upholding the marriages of same-sex couples who tied the knot in California before voters approved Proposition 8.

Proposition 8 is a constitutional amendment passed in November that limits marriage to a man and a woman.

It's great that it is consistent with In Re Marriage Cases . . . except the ruling in that is superceded by the amendment to the state constitution, and now Governor Schwarzenegger's signing is inconsistent with the state constitution, which is supposed to be the highest law in the state.

In short, it is yet another legal quagmire. But this be California, home of such.

The law that Schwarzenegger signed also says that same-sex couples who married after November 5, 2009 in other states must be given all of the rights, protections and responsibilities of married spouses under California law, with the sole exception of the designation of "marriage."

Sooooo . . . I have Mary come into my office. Mary was married to Vicki on November 6, 2009 in Massachusetts. The next day, they come to live in Los Angeles and buy a house. Mary says, "I want spousal support." Only married parties or registered domestic partners in California get spousal support. Soooooo . . . does Mary have legal standing to request spousal support. Let's say Vicki makes 3 times as much as Mary - d'ya think Vicki is going to say, "Uh-uh, because we are neither married under this law (true), nor did we register as domestic partners in California (also true)." But Mary argues, "Ah, but the law says we are to have all of the rights of married spouses under California law," to which some LGBT organization files an amicus curiae brief that argues this law is discriminatory because it gives gay couples who happen to have married in, say, Massachusetts and New Jersey, more rights than gay couples who have always lived in California but did not marry between June 2008 and November 2008, to which another group files their own brief to argue that all of this is moot anyway because the law signed by Schwarzenegger is unconstitutional.

*whew!*

Oh . . . and is the house community property or not. Discuss and give three analogous examples.

Got Milk

There's no pleasing some people.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill commemorating the remarkable openly gay politician, Harvey Milk. The bill states that May 22, Harvey's birthday, will now be honored as a day of remembrance and significance. Last year, the governor had originally vetoed the bill, claiming that it should be handled on a local level.

But as we said, there is a lot of bad blood between the gay community and the Californian government and Arnold is looking to mend fences.

Oh please, the man was in office 11 months as a city councilman before being gunned down and passed one ordinance that benefitted solely his constituents. As his bubbe might say, nu, for this he gets a whole day? How about a day honoring Ronald Reagan who did more for this state and its people.

But Perez has it right - Miss Thing, it's tokenism, pure and simple. Unfortunately, it comes at taxpayer expense as we pay for public schools to put together "appropriate" lesson plans for this.

Just as major household appliances and mattresses are the focus of sales for Presidents Day, I'm hoping this inspires shoe outlets to take advantage of this holiday.

He Has Ceased to Be Sane

Here's the bad news: Ralph Nader has written a novel. Here's the good news: There's no sex in it. Wait. That's not strictly true. At the end of its 700 pages, one of the characters hooks up with Yoko Ono.

Unsee! Unsee!

In Mr. Nader's tale, billionaire investor Warren Buffett is so dismayed by the ineffectual and chaotic government reaction to Hurricane Katrina that he hatches a plan to "redirect" American society. He summons a brace of moguls—Ted Turner, Barry Diller, Ross Perot and George Soros, among others—to a secret Maui location, along with such celebrities as Bill Cosby, Yoko Ono and Warren Beatty. As they confer together, they find that they all—surprise! —agree that Something Must Be Done.

Will Bill bring the Jello? Will Warren bring the KY?

Here, for instance, is an actual passage from "Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us!": "As promised, Ted Turner and Phil Donahue had put their heads together to brainstorm about a mascot for the group's efforts. Ted's thoughts naturally ran along avian lines, and it wasn't long before they hit on the idea of a parrot. . . . Patriotic Polly hit the airwaves in fifteen-second spots shown on thousands of stations, and it was an immediate smash."

Oh, you know where this is going . . .

92 Years Ago Today

Do you believe? Did the sun dance?

Go, Katie, Go!

Katie Holmes has won a battle with her Scientologist husband Tom Cruise to enrol their daughter Suri in a Catholic pre-school.

The Church of Scientology has always been a bone of contention between the couple and Tom wanted three-year-old Suri to be raised a Scientologist.

But last week Katie enrolled the toddler at the Catholic Charities Yawkey Centre For Early Education And Learning in Boston, Massachusetts.

‘Katie has been listening to her parents who are devout Catholics,’ I’m told.

‘She is not convinced by Scientology and has told Tom that she wants Suri to be educated as a Catholic – as she was.

Yay, it seems Katie has grown a backbone . . . or stopped drinking the Kool-Aid. I don't know anything about this preschool, whether it is a liberal Catholic institution or has a more traditional outlook, but it is not Scientology. Everyone, keep praying - in fact, maybe the prayers should be directed at Tom Cruise, that he leave that scam of a faith and come home (he was baptized into the Catholic Church as a young'un).

Who Made Who?

Thanks to The Ugly American for this.

S.W.A.

That stands for Scout With Attitude. Man, you gotta watch out for those Cub Scouts, 'fore they bust a cap on yo' ass.

Six-year-old Zachary Christie was so excited to become a Cub Scout that he brought his camping utensil to school. The tool serves as a spoon, a fork and a knife, and Zachary wanted to use it at lunch.

What Zachary didn't know was that the gizmo violated his school's zero-tolerance policy on weapons. And now the Christina School District in Newark, Del., has suspended the first grader and ordered him to attend the district's reform school for 45 days.

Excuse me?!?!?! They want to place a first-grader in reform school for bringing his camping utensil to school? Has the school district simply done away from good sense?

There is a web site to help out Zachary and his parents (mom is wisely homeschooling the 1st rgader rather than send him to a reform school with the REAL bad boys - go and visit, and at least send a note of support.

For Delaware, Zachary’s case is especially frustrating because last year state lawmakers tried to make disciplinary rules more flexible by giving local boards authority to, “on a case-by-case basis, modify the terms of the expulsion.”

The law was introduced after a third-grade girl was expelled for a year because her grandmother had sent a birthday cake to school, along with a knife to cut it. The teacher called the principal — but not before using the knife to cut and serve the cake.

Reason # 435677690769 why I send my kids to private school.

Happy Columbus Day

I am sorry to read that more and more, schools are putting a negative spin on Columbus Day. In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue as a means of making a living, since crowned heads wanted to expand their empires - that is true. But it also took a brave soul to venture forth into territories that previously on maps of the day were marked "Here be dragons" as the cartographers just did not know what to do with those areas.

Besides, as we were taught at St. Brendan's School, the REAL discoverer of the Americas was St. brendan himself, sailing here with his fellow Irish monks in the 6th century, but perhaps I am, as an Irish-American, biased.

*ahem*

Nevertheless, Columbus Day always held a special place for me, and not simply because it was a day off from school. When I was a wee one growing up in the Bronx, the Columbus Day weekend was spent upstate, in towns like Claverack, NY and Copake, NY, for the purpose of apple picking. We had a "cold cellar" in our basement, where bushels of apples would be kept after these excursions. I do not know if they still exist, but the countryside around those towns would be dotted with "Pick Your Own" orchards, where you paid a fixed price by the bushel but went off into the orchards to climb trees and have your own harvest.

What absolute fun! My extended family got into this and we had a splendid time. As a child, I found the different varieties of apples to be exotic: Rome, Macintosh, Winesap, Granny Smith. The adults were the ones to climb into the upper branches, misguided by the belief that "the best" were to be found there, where they should have probably let us younger and more limber ones ascend the heights. This was proven one year when my mother shouted down, "I found a good one!" and her brother, Michael, said, "Throw it down, Dottie!" She did - and knocked him out of lower branches, causing him to break his arm. I remember more vividly the dinner we had in Copake after we all trooped off to the local doctor so my uncle's arm could be set.

There were other things we bought as well - pumpkins (we never carved ours for Halloween as Grandma would use the flesh for the Thanksgiving pies) and what we called "Indian corn," the dark, inedible stalks to use for home decorations for both Halloween and Thanksgiving. We also dropped by the Eggsteins, a farm run by an old German couple, for their fresh honey. And the menfolk would go "behind the barn" with the orchard proprietor to buy hard cider, which we kids were not allowed to have. My uncle had a summer home in Copake where we stayed, and I remember Mom bringing up huge pots of her "gravy" and meatballs, so we could have a hearty dinner after spending the day in the chilly fall weather, working hard at our apple picking.

Enjoy your Columbus Day. Glad I have these memories to share.

God Loves Me and So Do I!

Although some critics refer to the megachurch phenomenon as "church lite," evangelical Christian scholars say the congregations are reaching the unaffiliated or disaffected by turning church attendance into a more comfortable, positive experience, bound by fewer rules or obligations than traditional churches.

They deliver upbeat biblical messages about applying faith in everyday life and building a personal relationship with God. They organize parishioners into small "life" groups that study Scripture. And they encourage their followers to recruit new members.

Whenever I read about these "meagchurches," I shudder at the thought of ever attending one. I go to church on Sundays to worship God. Don't get me wrong - we should focus on "building a personal relationship with God," but I think one of the parishioners at my church, Tom Linnert, said it best when talking about the criteria he applies when deciding to do something. I recall Tom saying, "I ask myself, 'Does it further the glory of God?'" That's a big difference from asking, "How does it serve my 'personal relationship' with God?

Thanks, Tom. I'll take your approach for "keeping it real."

Gaga Stalker

"Obama, I know you are listening," pop star Lady Gaga told the crowd, before shouting, "Are you listening? We will continue to push you and your administration to bring your words of promise to a reality."

Yo, Obama, if I heard that coming from a chick who dresses likle that, I'd have a special little project for the Secret Service, ya know what I mean?

I Bet She Throws Like a Girl, Too

I strated reading the new story this morning on the GOP's plan to go after Nancy Pelosi as part of its 2010 playbook. I was thinking, is it a good idea or not, and holding my decision until I read it through.

But right away, I come to this buffoonery:

The approach emerged last week when the National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arm of House Republicans, issued a statement saying it hopes Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, puts Pelosi "in her place" on Afghan policy. The statement accused Pelosi, a California Democrat, of putting party politics ahead of national security in her cautious statements on expanding the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.

Pelosi Thursday called the statement sexist. "It's really sad. They really don't understand how inappropriate that is," she told reporters. "I'm in my place. I'm speaker of the House, the first woman speaker of the House. And I'm in my place because the House of Representatives voted me there. That language is something I haven't even heard in decades."

Maybe being the hip, liberated female that I am, I don't see anything sexist about using a phrase "put in her place" in this context. In fact, what I find more annoying as that hip, liberated female is that the eedjut didn't address the issue. How girly is it to ignore the gist of the criticism being leveled at you and instead, stamp your foot and say they are picking on you because you're a guuuuuurrrrllllll.

Take the witch out.

Not High On His List

“He knows this march is happening, and he can’t even acknowledge it?” said Robin McGehee, 36, a co-director of the march.

Seetie, he did the same thing with the Tea Party marchers, so at least take comfort in the fact that in that area, gays have achieved equality - the President ignores you, too. See, at only about 2% of the population, well, he's just not that into you. And he knows that liberals - and I am guessing a lot of gays fall into that category - have a codependent relationship with him, like a battered spouse. Y'all will forgive him and after stamping your feet, return to the fold. You can't help yourselves.

After all, you still like Bill Clinton and he gave you both the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and the Defense of Marriage Act.

By the way, when the New York Times says "thousands" came out and there is no wide angle shot of the Mall, it was less than 10,000. Maybe even less than 5,000.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Don't care.

Everyone's a Winnah!

"Pioneers of Tomorrow" is a kids' show produced by Hamas, which teaches them valuable lessons like, "Brush your teeth and respect your parents," and "All Jews are dogs and must be exterminated." Y'know, useful stuff for kids. Hey, it's like that CBS crap - the More You Know . . .

Anyhoo, they seem to have a hard time keeping friendly hosts, though, as these furry friends keep getting themselves killed for the sake of Allah. Which leads me to ask - will they get 72 plushie virgins in Paradise?

Keep Calm and Carry On

I had not heard this story before, and found it to be an interesting bit of history.

The poster above was printed in 1939, on the eve of WWII. It was never used as it was intended to be distributed should it become apparent that the occupation of the United Kingdom by the Nazis was imminent.

I think I need another t-shirt.

T&A

Contestants showed off breast implants, nose jobs and face lifts as Miss Plastic Hungary 2009 strove to promote the benefits of plastic surgery in a country where artificial enhancements are viewed mostly with a wary eye.

I am reminded of the words of that noted philosopher, Sir Mix-a-Lot, who stated "Silicone parts are made for toys . . ."

Terry Gets Pissed

Meanwhile, Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson have announced plans through various mediums that they are turning theirs back in.

Stilton Jarlsberg hit this one outta the park!

Obama Wins the Heisman Trophy!

And in related news, John Kerry is receiving the Medal of Honor belatedly and Nancy Pelosi has just been elevated to the Papacy.

But Michelle still only took Best of Breed at Westminster.

Ignoble Nobel

The Norwegians have jumped the shark.

The deification is complete now, isn't it? Oh wait, there is still President-of-the-World-for-Life.

President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision designed to encourage his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation but recognized initiatives that have yet to bear fruit: reducing the world stock of nuclear arms, easing American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthening the U.S. role in combating climate change.

"But the face of Big Brother seemed to persist for several seconds on the screen, as though the impact that it had made on everyone's eyeballs were too vivid to wear off immediately. The little sandy-haired woman had flung herself forward over the back of the chair in front of her. With a tremulous murmur that sounded like 'My Saviour!' she extended her arms toward the screen. Then she buried her face in her hands. It was apparent that she was uttering a prayer."